January 21, 2025
The next Information Bulletin is Monday, January 27, 2025.The deadline for submissions is Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 4:30 p.m.
The Diocese of Erie Information Bulletin advertises and promotes activities and events sponsored by diocesan entities such as parishes, schools, religious communities and groups. The IB is unable to advertise or promote activities or events not sponsored by such entities. Submissions may run a maximum of two editions. The administrative offices of the diocese reserve the right to edit submissions.
Email your Information Bulletin items to the editor.
2025 CSA informational webinar
Pastors and parish staff are invited to attend a webinar on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. to launch the 2025 Catholic Services Appeal. This one-hour session, hosted by the Diocese of Erie and the Catholic Foundation in partnership with Our Sunday Visitor, will open with prayer led by Bishop Persico. The webinar will cover key components of the 2025 CSA, including the introduction of a centralized follow-up letter. Registrants will receive access to the webinar recording and slides after the session. Click the link to register for this informative event: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/9202294843437823574.
2025 Lenten Practices
Please find attached the 2025 Lenten Practices notice from the Chancery.
Pastors and parish staff: Use Ministry Platform to share Lenten events with parishioners
The Ministry Platform team encourages pastors and parish staff to keep parishioners informed about ash distributions, Lenten dinners and events and Holy Week Mass and service times by sending emails through Ministry Platform. To assist you this Lent and Easter, the team has prepared several email templates. After creating your own template, you can access and reuse these resources year after year. Visit this link to download the instructions. For additional email templates for other events, please contact kpapalia@eriercd.org.
Diocesan Statistics
Attached please find the most recent statistics for the Diocese of Erie. They may also be found online at https://eriercd.org/the-diocese.html. Questions may be directed to Maria Caulfield at 814.824.1130 or mcaulfield@eriercd.org.
IRS mileage reimbursement rate change
Please note the IRS Mileage Reimbursement Rate has changed effective Jan. 1, 2025. The IRS Standard Mileage Rate has increased to 70.0 cents per mile. This is an increase of three cents from the 2024 rate of 67.0 cents per mile. You will find the updated “Expense Report 2025” form at https://www.eriercd.org/finance/IRS-mileage-reimbursement-rate-2025.html. The form incorporates the new IRS mileage rate. You can begin using this form for mileage expenses incurred in 2025. If you are going to continue using an older excel version of the Expense Report, make sure that you update your spreadsheet to incorporate the new IRS rate of 70.0 cents a mile.
Office for Divine Worship monthly newsletter
The Office for Divine Worship presents a monthly newsletter to aid in preparing celebrations that will occur in that particular month. The February newsletter is attached.
Celebrate the Year of Jubilee! Share your Events with Us
Is your parish or school celebrating a special event related to the Holy Year of Jubilee? The Office of Communications would like to help share the joy and highlight your events on our communication platforms. Whether it’s a special Mass, a themed faith formation event or a significant community celebration, we want to know about it. Please submit details of your jubilee events, including dates, locations and a brief description, to ibeditor@eriercd.org. We look forward to celebrating together!
Tips to avoid being hacked
The New Year is the perfect time to focus on resolutions and cultivating positive habits. This year let's commit to building lasting cyber-safe habits! A common security myth is that you don’t have anything a hacker would want. In reality, you do. Hackers want to control your PC to send spam, distribute malware, or help launch a denial-of-service attack. Hackers want your identity to be used for identity theft and fraud. And hackers want your money. Most attacks are automated. Hackers simply seek out and compromise all vulnerable systems. Here are some tips to help keep you secure this year: https://enableministry.com/2024/07/10/the-10-commandments-of-cybersecurity/.
Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion
It’s time to register for the 2025 Rite of Election/Call to Continuing Conversion Liturgy. One liturgy will take place at St. Peter Cathedral, 230 W. 10th Street, Erie, on March 9, at 3 pm. The second liturgy will be held at Holy Spirit Parish, St. Catherine of Siena Church, 118 S. State Street, DuBois, on March 16, at 3 pm. All parishes must RSVP, even those who do not have any catechumens or candidates. Register using the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/4rLwrszwED. No registration form will be sent in the mail. Please complete the form by Feb. 14. Contact Mary Hickin with questions at mhickin@eriercd.org.
New Give Page on ErieRCD.org
We’re excited to announce a new Give Page with expanded giving opportunities! You can now support vital areas like our seminarians, faith formation programs, Catholic school educators, retired priests in the Bishop Michael J. Murphy residence and more. By sharing these new giving opportunities with your parishioners, community and networks, you help strengthen the foundation of our diocese, ensuring these essential ministries continue to thrive and touch countless lives for generations to come. For details or to make your gift, visit our website or scan the QR code today: bit.ly/DioNWPAgive.
9 Days for Life Novena: Jan. 16-24
9 Days for Life is a novena for the protection of human life. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life. View the daily webpages of the novena or download it as a PDF here: 9-days-novena-printable.pdf.
Job openings in the diocese
See the classified section below for the latest position openings. Here’s a quick link to diocesan, school and parish jobs: https://www.eriercd.org/employment.html. For Erie Catholic School System jobs only, go to https://www.eriecatholic.org/about/careers.
PW Protected Attachments:Clergy and Department Heads click here to login.2025 Lenten practices Diocese Statistics Office for Divine Worship newsletter Cash Bash Family Honor Comfort Through Grief ministry Silent women’s retreat DuBois Central Catholic Open House Shenango Valley Guiness and God series Pilgrimage to Italy information session |
Cash Bash fundraiser
St. Gregory Thaumaturgus Parish, North East, invites you to its Cash Bash on Feb. 1, 2025, in the St. Gregory School Gym, located at 140 W. Main Street, North East. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with drawings starting at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy food, drinks and games throughout the evening! Tickets are $25 for an in-person Party Pass and $15 for a Go Virtual ticket. Both options include entry into the drawings all night. The event will also be live-streamed on their Facebook page. For more details, contact the rectory or school office, or email chansenff@roadrunner.com. See the attached flyer for additional information.
Family Honor weekend retreat for adults
St. Mary’s Catholic Church Social Hall, 325 Church Street, St. Marys, PA, will be hosting a weekend retreat course for adults: “Understanding the Mystery of the Human Person”. This retreat runs from Friday afternoon Mar. 21 to Saturday, Mar. 22. This course provides a Catholic framework on the truth and meaning of sexuality, love and family. For more information, please contact Jean 814.594.7405 or the Family Honor office 803.929.0858 or email: info@familyhonor.org. See flyer for more information and to register via the QR code.
St. Martin Center's free financial and home buying courses
The Financial Wellness Series will take place on Feb. 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at St. Martin Center, 1701 Parade St., Erie. This class will provide tools for tracking and managing expenses, including how to prioritize spending when there isn’t enough money to pay all bills in full and on time. After the class, participants can schedule a one-on-one, confidential session to organize their budget, review their credit and receive personalized tips.
The Pre-Purchase Home Buying Series is scheduled for Feb. 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at St. Martin Center, 1701 Parade St., Erie. This class is designed to simplify the process of buying your first home, reviewing available assistance programs and explaining the paperwork involved. It is recommended for those with a FICO score of 580-680 who are planning to purchase a home within three to six months.
All classes are free and open to everyone, but registration is required. To register, call 814-452-6113 ext. 206 or email housing@stmartincenter.org.
Our Lady of Mercy spaghetti dinner & gift basket auction fundraiser
Join us for a delicious spaghetti dinner on Feb. 2, 2025, at Our Lady of Mercy, 837 Bartlett Rd., Harborcreek. Enjoy special pre-sale pricing of $14 for a full plate or $8 for a half plate when you purchase your tickets by Jan. 30. Door pricing will be $15 for a full plate and $9 for a half plate. Tickets are available now in the parish office Monday through Thursday from 8 am to 3 pm and in the gathering space after all weekend Masses. You can also reserve tickets by calling 814-899-5342.
New this year, choose between meatballs or chicken parmesan as your entrée. Your dinner includes your entrée choice, refreshments, a side salad, Italian bread and a cookie. Early Bird take-out, served ready to heat, will be available on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at 5:30 pm. Don’t forget to try your luck at our gift basket auction, benefiting the Religious Education Department. For more information, visit www.eriercd.org/OLMercy-spaghetti-dinner.html.
Xtreme Xposure: An Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner
Join us for an evening of clues, comedy and delicious food at Blessed Sacrament School, 2510 Greengarden Blvd., on Feb.7, 8, 2 and Mar. 1, 2025. Doors open at 6 pm., and the show begins at 6:30 pm.
Get ready to help solve the mystery of Who Killed Otto Fokus during Xtreme Xposure! Tickets are $35 and include the show, a chance to win prizes, a catered dinner by Serafin’s, soft drinks, draft beer, wine, dessert and coffee. Proceeds benefit the Erie School District FIRST Robotics Team, Bids for Kids (supporting Make-a-Wish, Erie Shriners and Boys and Girls Club) and the Blessed Sacrament Knights of Columbus.
To order tickets, use the Xtreme Xposure Ticket Link or email kingal3423@gmail.com. Please note, a $2.00 processing fee applies to all tickets. Don’t miss this unforgettable night of fun and fundraising.
Comfort Through Grief ministry resumes meetings
St. Joseph/Bread of Life Parish Community Comfort Through Grief ministry’s next presentation will be on Monday, Jan. 27, with registration starting at 5:30 pm. These meetings will be held on the 4th Monday of every month at St. Joseph, upstairs in the multipurpose room, 147 W. 24th Street, Erie. The speaker will be T.A. Walkiewicz and her topic is "Comfort Through Hope". For more information, email dulcibarb@aol.com. See the attached flyer for more details.
Prepare for Lent with Women's Silent Retreat
The Spiritual Family The Work will sponsor its annual women's retreat from February 28 – Mar. 1, at Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Center. Further information and details for registration may be found on the attached poster.
DuBois Central Catholic School open house
DuBois Central Catholic School will be hosting its open house on Sunday, Jan. 26, from noon to 2 pm. This is a great opportunity to meet teachers and staff, receive information on kindergarten enrollment, enjoy some snacks and have pictures taken with superheroes! A flyer with more details is attached.
Shenango Valley Catholic Young Adult presents Guinness & God: a 3-week speaker series
The Shenango Valley Catholic Young Adult ministry invites young adults (ages 18-39) to enjoy great food and drink, meet new friends and have faith-filled conversations. The series will be held at the Hickory Bar & Grille, 1645 N. Hermitage Road, Hermitage, starting at 6:30 pm. Join Father Jamie Power (Jan. 28), Dr. Keith Lepak (Jan. 30) and Father John Miller (Feb. 06) for appetizers and spiritual nourishment. Please RSVP to Gabby Herndon at 724.301.6127 (phone/text) or via email youthforChrist@DioceseofErie.org. For a bulletin-friendly flyer, please see attached.
Cathedral Prep Legacy Gala
Join Cathedral Prep for their Legacy Gala on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at 5:30 pm at the Bayfront Convention Center, 1 Sassafras Pier, Erie. This memorable evening honors Libby Felix Waltman '03VMA, Jim Rutkowski Jr. '79 and the Don '49 & Mary Ann Fessler family for their embodiment of faith, family, excellence and tradition. Proceeds support vital financial aid and scholarships and the opportunity to participate in the Tuition Angels program, helping to provide a Catholic education to many youth in the Erie area. For more details or to secure your reservation visit www.CathedralPrep.com/LegacyGala, or contact Jimmy Smith at Jimmy.Smith@CathedralPrep.com.
A Jubilee Pilgrimage to Italy information session
Join us for an informational session on the Jubilee Pilgrimage to Italy. Father Mike DeMartinis and Belinda Held, the travel organizer, will be speaking on Sunday, Jan. 26 at St. Patrick Parish, 130 East 4th Street, Erie, after the 10:30 mass. Refreshments will be provided. All are welcome. For those who can’t attend in person, a Zoom option is available. To receive the Zoom link or to RSVP please email JubileePilgrimage25@gmail.com or call Belinda Held at 724.679.7450. The informational flyer is attached to include in parish bulletins.
Office of Faith Formation
The Diocese of Erie is seeking an energetic and faith-driven leader to serve as the Director of Faith Formation for Catechesis and Sacraments. He/she will be a part of the ongoing development of a collaborative vision for life-long faith formation in the Diocese of Erie. He/she will report to the Executive Director of Faith Formation. For best consideration, please apply by Feb. 22, 2025. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. See links for full position profile and job application form below Applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, references and a signed and completed job application form in one of two ways: 1) Email all materials to: hrinfo@eriercd.org. (Application form must be completed, signed and scanned.) 2) Mail to HR, Attn: Faith Formation search, 429 East Grandview Blvd., Erie, PA 16504.
Please refer to the link for more details: https://www.eriercd.org/employment.html.
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